Through The Grounds of 229

Author's Note: Only six more chapters left. I hope you enjoyed reading Conduit Tale.:)

Teleporting Area . . .

"No." Chara watched as Sans and Friskarino showed up. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Chara," Sans said firmly. "I've been pretty good about this whole laser and control thing because we need this barrier. But, don't. Not now."

"Why not, Romeo?" Chara questioned. "I'm not the one who said 'yeah, marry her and secure her'." She pointed to the sky and a recording of his conversation with Conner echoed through the sky.

"I get it. She's your girl. Take her back. I doubt I ever really wanted a Frisk . . . get yourself married . . . secure her."

"Hi, my name is Sans," Chara mocked him. "Sans the Idiot. Sure, go ahead and make me say my marriage didn't matter and that you could marry her." Chara crossed her arms. "Bonefied idiot."

"That wasn't the whole conversation."

"All I know is no one has been talking to me. Alphys has refused to say much to me. Frisky has been hiding in the Ruins. And what do I hear playing near my only weakness in my barrier? That!" Chara was pissed. "So, my determination dropped a bit, and those Frisks sneaked past me. Really. Really! Sometimes I hate FRISK! FRISK, Frisks, and Freaking Frisk the Frisks!" She snorted slightly. "Give me one good reason I should let you just wander off through-"

"Not in the mood."

Friskarino looked toward Sans. It wasn't loud, but anyone within fifty feet could tell he really was not kidding. "Um? Chara? It's really not a time to play. You know Frisky snuck away to marry Conner."

"Bonehead or a schmuck. My patience is just wearing too thin. Seriously, I thought it would take longer for Asriel to start being nice again. Surely by the time my little Itty Bitty got better. But, no, not only are you as far apart as you possibly could be, the only-"

"Chara, seriously!" Friskarino shouted at her. "Sans eye is flashing colors and he is melting the snow over here, knock it off!"

"Fine. Just wanted someone else to be anxious for a change. But really, Sans." Chara looked straight at him. "Do you understand that 04823 doesn't know she's gone because humans have no power? As soon as you leave, he'll register your missing power from the barrier and know something's going on. He'll find the reason, and if you don't move fast enough, he'll get Frisky instead."

Chara held up three fingers. "I am serious. I couldn't warn you because you had some partial mindwipe on your mind. You need to be fully aware. Do you understand? Either you are going to be late, and Conner will have her. If so-"

"I'll kill him."

"Bravo big Monster, it doesn't work like that. Try to kill him and all kinds of Allied Balancers would come to aid him. Even if you manage to kill him, they will keep coming after you, never-ending until you finally die."

"Worth it."

"Well, Monster instinct is raging hard. Good thing I've got no physical body." Chara looked far to her left. "Guess Friskarino left you a lot of space to work things out. Anyhow, you do that and Chance will never know his . . . yah, Monster honor, Papyrus, dead end road. Well, let's hope for not that outcome." She put a finger down. "Second, you stop the wedding."

"By killing him."

"In some way, but 04823 will be right behind you. Or, in front of you. If he nabs her . . ." Chara sighed. "Why waste my time, your Monster Instinct is barely going to register any kind of advice I even try to give. Friskarino! You watch his back."

"Yes," Friskarino came a little closer. "I only have a broken knife, but I'll do my best."

"Fine. Geez, is he burning the ground blue?"

"Uh. Yeah, he is," Friskarino agreed. "We should really go. Come on, Sans. I promise, we can find something that's not innocent at all for you to kill."

Station 229, Outer Open Ground Area . . .

"Uh. Left?" Friskarino tried to guide Sans. They had the Allied Balancer ship help guide them. Well, Sans did. Especially when they found out he was a Classic Monster. In fact, when Friskarino explained why they needed to move and Sans Monster Instinct was burning a hole in their carpet?

Well, some Balancers were closer to Monsters, still had honor and Sans wasn't going to say no to the help. Which was good because the terrain wasn't the easiest. "Pixie Pudgies are up ahead," Friskarino warned him. "The blue won't bother us but the red will try to flame. They can't be reasoned with. The yellow-" Friskarino watched as Sans took out the reds, and the Balancers roasted the rest. "Will leave you alone if you just tickle their belly. Nevermind." It felt strange not fighting with the boards anymore, but it did make the journey move faster.

They were heading for Station 229, the Ground Area. Right now, Frisky and Conner would have to work out several details before the marriage got started. Things like Balancers to help aid in disputes, which memories to restore, where they would live, and how many times they needed to have intercourse each month. And when one of the Balancers said that exact phrase, Sans roasted everything in sight. They were in nothing but burnt forest for two miles.

Friskarino looked back at his map on his MP. Now that they were away from the Underground, it worked better than ever. "Gattling geese area and Scissor Fairies. Gattling geese can't be reasoned with." He didn't even look up as he heard magic and strangled gawk shrieks. "Scissor Fairies can be reasoned with if you don't join into their conversations. That can be tricky sometimes though because they tend to be all over." He watched as Sans gathered blue power in his hand and let it ride down the center. "Nevermind, they probably won't have any conversations around us anymore."

Outside the barrier near 04823 . . .

"Umm. You tell him."

"No, you tell him."

"Tell me what?" 04823 said as he came around the corner. "What?"

"A large power just left the Underground somehow," one of his annoying co-workers said. "Really large."

"Hm?" Out? "Not through the top. It's been sealed off, we can't get through Chara."

"They did."

04823 stood closer to the barrier. "Sans. Sans left, how? Why?" No way. "This can't be happening." 95452 was too weak to trace. "Turn up the juice. Try and sense very weak signatures. How many and where?"

"I don't know if we have that capability. Humans don't really have power-"

"Sans power signature just left the Underground, and he wouldn't do that for no reason!" Dang it. It was so much easier when he had Frisk over there. Messing with a changing Skeleton was easy. Everything else he needed technology for. "What's above the teleportation area?"

"I can't tell sir, the barrier's weak spot still has . . ." His co-worker gestured to him. "The ghost is still just sticking up her middle finger at us with her tongue hanging out. It's only weak on the inside I am betting."

"Her determination is going down, but that doesn't matter. Sans is leaving the barrier." 04823 glared at the sky. "There's only one reason. 95452 must be out. Back to the ship."

"But, we still haven't finished the surveillance of-"

"I don't care! Frisky is mine, and if he's chasing her down that only means one thing." He snarled. "That little wannabe got out too. We are heading to Station 229's Ground Area, now!"

"That's a password encoded area. Only high soldiers of the Ships coding 229 can get in there. You are a wandering instructor between ships, you don't have that code," his annoying co-workers complained again. Honestly, he'd give them something to complain about. "We'll have to dive through on an open side and make our way through without the-"

"John! Holy hell, I!"

"Screw co-workers." 04823 pulled his hand away. He didn't need them. They would only slow him down. They didn't matter anyhow. PACIFISM was about not killing a Monster. Screw humans, they were just rodents.

All but 95452. Once he had her determination though, then she was just as expendable.

Password Encoded 229 Ground Area . . .

Conner sat not very far from Frisky. He whispered in his negotiator's ear.

"Groom to be thinks the name Frisky is a fair offer."

Frisky was on the other side and whispered in her negotiator's ear.

"Bride to be thinks he's a schmuck and cannot . . ." The negotiator waved her hand. "Cannot finagle his way out of the situation. She wishes to know her real name, demands her old memories, and wants her family to be at the wedding."

Conner rolled his eyes again and whispered in his negotiator's ear.

"Groom to be cannot afford to have an entire family brought for the wedding."

Frisky just shouldered her negotiator. It was short code, already worked out.

"Bride to be called him a schmuck."

Frisky whispered into her negotiator's ear again.

"Bride to be wants her real name, her old memories restored, and at least her parents at the wedding."

"Why? That will be one awkward conversation," Conner teased her. "Pleased to meet you mom after all these years. By the way, I accidentally got my sister killed. Please enjoy the cake."

"You're a mongrel," Frisky spoke to him directly. "If it wasn't for the fact that I don't want to lose the chance to watch my son grow up, and not lose my sanity through another mindwipe, there is no way we'd ever be here."

"Or if said fake little hubby didn't resent you being a human and just tell you to basically suck it," Conner laughed. "Oh come on. You know it's true."

"Friskay told you?" Frisky crossed her arms. "Of course she would."

"Hey, it's okay. I don't resent you being human, Babe," Conner said sweetly. "I'm human too. I tend to find humans quite attractive. Speaking of which." Conner whispered into his negotiator's ear.

"Groom to be would like to get the Bride to be's body corrected as soon as possible to its original dimensions. Or." His negotiator gave him an odd look. "A book on little people love making?"

"Repelling," Frisky answered.

"Be repelled all you want right now. By the time this is over, that determination won't be worth jack squat." Conner eyed her with a smirk. "Will it? Hefty price to pay. But, you won't take your freako weirdo kid from daddy, and you won't leave him behind. The price we pay for our loved ones, huh?"

"She can't, but we can still kick your ass."

Conner looked behind him at Farrisk. "Remind me to put you in the contract. You're good friends. Maybe five percent?" Farrisk went by him and stood over by Frisky.

"You absolutely sure about this?" Farrisk warned her again. "That was probably just Sans limit break. Every monster gets them, Frisky."

"I already told you," Frisky looked toward him. "I . . ."

"Got too emotional. Couldn't see if it was. Made an ACT before thinking. Must go through it. I know." Farrisk patted her hand. "Even in marriage, we'll still be here."

"Yeah. I know. I get it." Frisky moved her hand away. There was nothing he could say or do to change the situation. At the time, Frisky didn't even think about Monster limit breaks because Sans was . . . almost invincible to her. Something like a primitive instinct couldn't take him over. Even when they fought in GENOCIDE, he never pulled out of shape. He never bothered yelling. Never stooped to cruel words. If that had never caused that reaction, then what could have?

No, it just couldn't be. Sans never did that. That whole frustration, that whole hurt, it was her. It had to be her. She couldn't even date right by walking and shutting up. As a Frisk, she was outstanding. As a girlfriend, she would be useless. No, I won't even think about it. He's happy, no matter which way he goes. I'm just not . . . No. She pulled her nose slightly in the air. This might be the last thing she did with her determination, but it was still her choice. She spoke to her negotiator.

"Bride to be wants her memories fully restored before the wedding, her parents there, and her real name. This is not a compromise. She also wants the opportunity to have regular visits, at least twelve times a year, to members of her family."

"That's expensive," Conner complained. "Covering my butt from both your troubles is costly enough. I'll find your parents. I'll get the name. Replenishing memories though is a negatory right now. It takes too long. I am going to be having a powerful instructor on my butt soon."

Frisky shouldered her negotiator.

"You're a schmuck." Her negotiator cleared her throat. "Pardon. The Bride to be thinks you're a schmuck."

"We can live in the same civilization area as them," Conner reminded her, "but then we won't be near enough to your son. Which, by the way, will be all the way past the Underground. You'll have to teleport to see him, and the cost of MP's as it is to keep them updated? Well, you can work with some lower ones I suppose if you want. Then, you'll have to cross danger areas with Balancers everyday."

"I handle myself fine," Frisky reminded him.

"True, but it wasn't really your handling skills that attracted me to you. Although they helped. Speaking of which, that still needs to be discussed. What are we going to do about your tiny body?" Conner chuckled. "Label you as a gnome? I mean, I'm willing to try different things I guess, but you are so much hotter in your original dimensions. Can we get that fixed?"

"How can you stand being a soldier?" Frisky asked him. "So many humans are pulled straight out of their homes, just mindwiped and shoved into it! How? How do you keep doing this willingly?"

"Getting into it on your own and staying put has way more advantages. I'll be sure to teach our kids that. Our wonderfully natural kids." Conner winked.